Introduction
Be both a writer and a publisher. Customise your studies and prepare yourself for work in these increasingly entwined growth industries.
Develop your creativity and publishing industry knowledge
Focus on editorial, imaginative and professional writing, and marketing across print and digital.
Already have an ARU degree? You may be eligible for our Alumni Scholarship for students starting postgraduate courses.
Whether you want to join the traditional publishing industry, establish your own small press, specialise in creative digital content, or combine a writing and editorial career, this Masters degree will help you meet your ambitions.
Taught in Cambridge, our MA is the only Creative Writing and Publishing course in the East of England. Our graduates have gone on to become published writers and to work in varied roles in the publishing industry.
It offers you an opportunity to develop your imaginative and professional writing in a supportive environment, while gaining insights and experience in publishing industry strategy and processes.
Course options
Key facts
Entry Requirements
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Fees and Paying for University
Student experience
What makes our MA special?
Hear from our graduates and published writers, including award winners Caroline Ward Vine and Penny Hancock.
Jan Casey
Jan graduated from our MA Creative Writing in 2010, and has since published five historical fiction novels through Aria (Bloomsbury). Her latest, The War Artist, was released in May 2024.
Find out how our course helped Jan
Leigh Chambers
MA Creative Writing alumnus Leigh will publish her second novel Alice & Iris in June 2025. The book was shortlisted for the 2019 Bath Novel Award, and longlisted for the 2019 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize and the Blue Pencil Agency First Novel Award.
Find out more about Leigh’s work
Jade Slaughter
Find out how our creative writing degrees helped alumnus Jade land a role as Creative Content Manager for Scouts.
Read Jade’s spotlight interview
Megan Herdson
Alumnus Megan talks about how studying creative writing helped her career in marketing, and grew her confidence in sharing her writing.
ARU Spotlight Podcast: Megan Herdson
Dr Jon Stone
Writing Lecturer Jon talks about poetry in the digital age and the importance of communities for creative writing.
ARU Spotlight Podcast: Jon Stone
Toby Venables
Screenwriting Lecturer Toby talks about his creative work, including BAFTA-winning Netflix horror film ‘His House’.
ARU Spotlight Podcast: Toby VenablesFacilities and showcase
Make connections
As a postgraduate student at ARU you’ll be able to:
- network with agents, publishers and established writers in our talks and masterclasses
- get full support from our team of tutors, who are all published authors
- seek feedback and advice from our Royal Literary Fellows.
Outstanding student support
Join our postgraduate student community and:
- benefit from award-winning learning facilities, including extensive library and IT resources
- learn from expert staff who will guide your research interests and career development
- receive full support from our Employability Service, while you're studying with us and after you graduate
- access support, should you need it, with study skills, health and wellbeing, and more.
Take a closer look
Our Creative Showcase shines a spotlight on what makes ARU creative and cultural – our spaces, places and people. Find out more about our community, the difference we make, the stories we tell, and the things that inspire us. You can also explore the work of our graduating students in our digital graduate showcase.
Lecturers
Katharine Reeve
Senior Lecturer Practitioner
Catherine Coe
Associate Lecturer
Menna van Praag
Royal Literary Fund Fellow
Careers
Our Masters degree in Creative Writing and Publishing will prepare you for employment in whichever aspect of the writing and publishing industries most interests you.
You’ll develop transferable academic and professional skills, including self-reflection, critical analysis and working to briefs and deadlines. You’ll also gain the research skills needed to produce creative work, professional publishing documents and critical writing.
MA Creative Writing students with successful writing careers include Costa Short Story Award winner Caroline Ward Vine, Guinevere Glasfurd, Penny Hancock and Natalya Anderson.
Our publishing graduates also have a track record of success, with most now in careers at companies such as Bloomsbury, Wiley Capstone, Pearson, Cambridge University Press and Macmillan.
Graduation doesn’t have to be the end of your time with us. You could choose to continue your academic career with a research programme at ARU such as our PhD Creative Writing or PhD Publishing. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and save £400 on your fees.
If you studied for the Postgraduate Certificate initially, you can choose to complete further modules and top-up to a full Masters degree.
Megan
“I’ve realised I’ve always loved stories – whether it’s reading or writing – because it’s a chance to make a connection with someone else. I’m not alone.”
MeganMA Creative Writing
Megan's storyWant to talk to someone?
Do you have a question that we haven't answered so far? Talk to our application experts. You can also ask our Student Ambassadors about life at ARU.
We're here Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm (please note we close at 3.30pm on the first and third Thursday of the month for staff training), and Friday 9am-4.30pm.
Life in Cambridge
Our friendly, bustling campus is a stone’s throw from the centre of Cambridge, often described as the perfect student city.
Explore our Cambridge campus Did you know...? Facts about Cambridge Watch: Our Cambridge
Benefits of postgraduate study
Improve your employability, progress in your career, and take on an intellectual challenge with our flexible postgraduate degrees.
Postgraduate study at ARU